At last Wednesday’s House Oversight and Government Reform Committee hearing, Chairman Ed Towns (D-NY) asked Toyota Chief Operating Officer Yoshi Inaba if he would be willing to provide transportation assistance for customers to aid them in having recall work performed. Inaba replied, “Yes,” effectively agreeing to extend an assistance deal recently struck with New York Attorney General Andrew Cuomo on behalf of that state’s consumers. Based on Inaba’s hesitant response, it was unclear if he completely understood the terms he was committing to. 

Toyota formalized the move on Friday, announcing that it would provide assistance nationwide to facilitate recall fulfillment and bolster consumer confidence.

The program includes:

• Toyota and Lexus dealers will come out to customers’ homes to pick up, and later return, vehicles that need recall work done.
• Driving the customer to the dealership or to his or her place of work.
• Providing loaner cars, rental cars, or taxi reimbursement for a “reasonable period” if the customer is unable or unwilling to use his or her car.